


2:17am

by nothingelsematters



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-12 23:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1203856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingelsematters/pseuds/nothingelsematters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max gets maudlin. Gracie doesn't like this. They have a discussion about Olympic spots.</p>
<p>Worlds 2013.</p>
<p>Warning: Gracie is still technically underage in this story (she's 17). Don't like, don't read.</p>
            </blockquote>





	2:17am

When Gracie woke, she felt cold, and exposed.

That had not been how she had fallen asleep. No, she had fallen asleep in her favourite way; with Max’s arms securely around her, his muscular weight draped protectively and warmly over her body; she had fallen asleep with Max’s heart beating steadily against her back.

Now, though, her bed was empty. She sat up and squinted at the alarm clock. _2:17am_.

Then she saw him, standing by the window and her still-open curtains, silhouetted in moonlight and starlight. He had pulled his pants back on at some point, and now he stood, motionless, staring out the window.

Gracie rose from the bed and walked across to him, reaching out to drape her naked body against his.

“Max, love,” she said softly. “What are you doing? Come back to bed. It’s stupid o’clock.”

“Hm,” Max murmured, stroking her arm. “I’m sorry if I woke you, Gracie. Please go back to sleep.”

“And leave you standing here? Max, you kept two spots for the men almost single-handedly, you should be happy.”

Max turned to face her, his dark eyes glinting in the dim light.

“But will I get one of them?” he said quietly. “I can’t help but think that I won’t. That I’ll be left at home to watch the Olympics from my living room.”

“None of us is certain,” Gracie answered, wondering what had brought on this maudlin mood.

“You are,” Max said softly, reaching up to run a hand through her golden hair. “You’re their golden girl, their new princess. You’ll be going to Sochi, I know it.”

Gracie felt warm inside as he spoke and she couldn’t help her smile.

“But me...I’m the outcast. The pretender to the throne. I’m no prince, I’m no golden boy. They don’t like me.”

“Oh Max!” Gracie was aghast. “They love you! That’s why you’re here!”

“No Gracie,” Max sighed. “I’m here because by rights they have to send me. But next year...there are already enough people complaining that I don’t skate like Jeremy. What will it be like with the whole world watching?”

Gracie could only hold him, then, because she knew at least part of his statement was true; even at Worlds, Max had attracted unsavoury comments from some officials in the back corridors about his style, “or lack thereof”.

“Come off it, Max,” she managed to say lightly. “Who on earth could possibly take this spot from you?”

“Jeremy,” Max said gloomily. “He’ll do what he usually does at Nationals. If Evan makes it back, they’ll hand it to him. And so many people aren’t even thinking about Josh and Jase, and you know as well as I do that they’re going to surprise everyone next year.”

His shoulders were hunched, his posture defeated, and Gracie couldn’t stand it any more.

“Now you listen to me, Max Theodore Aaron,” she said firmly. “Yes, there are a lot of people that don’t like your skating. But there are also a lot of people who _do_. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here, you wouldn’t have been National Champion. You are a wonderful skater and you bring joy to plenty of people. Jeremy, Evan, Josh, Jason – why are you so worried about them? You can out-tech them any day of the week.”

“Yeah, but...”

“No buts, Max,” she scolded. “You are going to do really well next season and when the time comes we’ll both give it everything and then we will go to the Olympics together. You’ll see.”

A faint smile quirked at the corners of Max’s mouth.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, I really do,” Gracie nodded.

Max finally smiled, and hugged Gracie tightly.

“I love you,” he said seriously.

“I love you too,” she smiled at him, tapping his nose. “Now, are you going to let me get my beauty sleep?”

Max kissed her. “You don’t need beauty sleep, Gracie. But sleep...yes, maybe.”

“Only maybe?” Gracie asked, her eyebrows raised.

Max grinned and picked her up, carrying her back towards the bed. “Only maybe.”

Later, Gracie was happy to fall asleep again in her favourite position; with Max’s arms securely around her, his body draped over hers, his heart beating against her back...and this time, a smile on the lips buried into the curve of her neck.

END.

 


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